This paper was prepared for the UNIDIR Nuclear Disarmament, Nuclear Deterrence, and Strategic Arms Control Dialogue exploring the relationships among nuclear disarmament, nuclear deterrence, and strategic arms control communities with a view to identifying options to recraft strategic arms control and revitalize pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It briefly sketches the broad outlines of today’s strategic context. Major trends include heightened tensions among nuclear-armed states and greater multipolarity, and deterioration in the fabric of international institutions, treaties, and norms that, historically, contributed to predictable and more stable relationships among nuclear-armed States. In addition, several current or imminent technological developments are heightening the uncertainties and unpredictability in the strategic relationships among nuclear-armed States.
Citation: John Borrie and Lewis A. Dunn (2020) “The Strategic Context for Nuclear Disarmament, Deterrence and Strategic Arms Control Dialogue”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.37559/WMD/20/DDAC/01